Brassiere



S. LEFFMAN N Jan. 25, 1938.

BRASSIEBE Filed June 9, 1937 INVENTOR SIEGl-fi/ED LEFFMA/VA/ Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED PATENT OFFICE BRASSIERE ration of New York Application June 9, 1937, Serial No. 147,201

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved brassire construction and has for a particular object the application of a gentle force to the busts of the wearer both in an upward direction and out- 6 wardly. In this way there is provided not only a desirable uplift effect but also a tendency to separate the busts.

Another object of the invention has been to provide a brassiere which is at the same time 10 more comfortable and more enhancing to the figure of the wearer in that it provides elastic means for urging the busts apart.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from a detailed description of an illustrative form of the same which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view illustrating the improved brassiere as applied to the body of a wearer.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the inside of the garment when opened out, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the improved garment is in the form of a body-encircling member which may most conveniently consist of two sections l and H, formed, preferably, of any suitable non-elastic material, such as poplin, lace, silk, crepe, or the like, and joined by stitching along the median line l2. If desired, however, the main body of the garment may be formed as a single unitary member or it may be formed of more than two sections, depending upon the particular requirements. The lower edges of both sections are preferably bound by a non-elastic tape l3 suitably stitched to the main fabric and arranged to encircle the body of the wearer beneath the busts. If desired, this lower portion of the garment may be formed as a 40 band of substantial width adapted to confine the portions of the body beneath the busts.

The upper edges of the sections I0 and II are similarly preferably bound by a tape 14 which may appropriately be of a narrow lace construction, although other forms of non-elastic tapes might be utilized. These upper edges are so shaped as to provide a pair of bust pockets l5 and I6 formed with a suitable fullness to receive the busts. Darts I! may be provided to effect the desired shaping. The extremities of the sections 10 and II may have elastic tapes l8 and I9, respectively, secured thereto and a fastening member of any appropriate form may be employed to fasten the elastic bands together when the garment is applied to the body. Shoulder straps 2| and 22 equipped, if desired, with length-adjusting means 23 and extending from the high points of the pockets I5 and [6, re-

spectively, to the extremities of the same sec- 5 tions, assist in retaining the garment on the body.

Now, for the purpose of yieldingly urging the busts apart and simultaneously imparting an uplift effect, there is provided a pair of elastic bands 24 and 25 of suitable, soft, flexible and relatively narrow construction. The two bands may conveniently be fastened at their upper ends to the upper portion of the line of stitching I2, at a point about in line with the centers of the pockets, and they extend downwardly and outwardly from this point in the form of an inverted V. In the preferred construction, as illustrated, the bands are disposed at between 30 and 45 to the horizontal. Band 24 is secured at its lower end to about the center of the lower edge of the bust pocket l5 while the lower end of band 25 issimilarly secured to the center of the lower edge of the bust pocket [6. For this purpose the lower ends of the elastic bands may conveniently be inserted between the sections I0 and II, respectively, and the tape l3, and may be held by the stitching which secures the tape to the sections. Intermediate their ends the two bands 24 and 25 are free of the sections l0 and H and, therefore, capable of stretching as desired. The length of the bands is such as to bring about a slight puckering of the inner portions of the pockets and a slight upward curvature of the lower edge of the garment at the points where the bands are attached thereto. This curvature of the lower edge is, of course, eliminated as the garment is applied to the body and at the same time the bands 24 and 25 will be tensioned slightly and the puckering removed.

It will be appreciated that the elastic bands 24 and 25 under a slight tension and diagonally disposed will impart both an upward and outward, light pressure to the busts and thus accomplish simultaneously the desired uplift and separating effects.

While an illustrative form of brassiere embodying the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail, it will be'understood that numerous changes may be made without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention. The main body portion of the brassiere may assume a variety of different forms and may be either wide or narrow, from top to bottom, at 55 the front, depending primarily upon the character of the figure to which it is to be applied. The principal feature of the garment, in whatever form it may be constructed, is the provision of freely suspended, lightly tensioned, elastic bands extending upwardly between the busts and arranged to engage and urge them gently apart. By disposing these bands diagonally, in the manner shown and explained, they tend to lift the busts as well as urge them apart.

The terms and expressions used in the foregoing are to be regarded as terms of description and not of limitation.

What I claim is:

A brassiere comprising a body encircling member having a pair of bust pockets inter-connected by non-elastic fabric, and an elastic band extending freely in a diagonal direction across 5 the lower portion of each pocket, each of said bands having one end thereof secured at a point between said pockets and the other end secured at a lower point along substantially the vertical center-line of the related pocket, the length of 0 each of such bands being such as to cause puckering of the super-posed portions of the pockets.

SIEGFRIED LEFFMANN. 

